Borges has resigned and will not coach Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson on New Year's Eve. Borges and head coach Tommy Tuberville agreed to the early departure in the last few days.

Tuberville will try to have a new offensive coordinator on board before Auburn begins bowl practice Friday.

Borges finished his Auburn career a game short of four seasons.

Borges arrived at Auburn before the 2004 season and helped the Tigers to a 13-0 record. But the Tigers' offense was less effective in his last three years, and this season was a particular struggle. The offense is ranked 101st nationally. The Tigers scored two or fewer touchdowns in six of their eight SEC games.

But Borges made magic out his first Auburn offense behind a senior backfield that included future first-round NFL picks in Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown. The Tigers finished 25th in the nation in total offense that year and Borges was hailed as the man who brought Auburn's talent together. But the Tigers slipped to 37th in total offense in 2005, 76th in total offense in 2006 and heads to the Chick-fil-A Bowl ranked at the 101 mark, ahead of only 18 other teams.

Borges came to Auburn as something as an unknown -- at least to Southern football fans -- after a two-year stint for a struggling Indiana football team. But he had made a name for himself on the West Coast long before that, especially at UCLA where his West Coast offense helped the Bruins to huge offensive numbers.

He had coached at Cal after UCLA and had his offense had lit up the Pacific Northwest at Portland State and Oregon, and at Boise State before all of that. He was named Rivals.com national offensive coordinator of the year in 2005.

Auburn compiled a 41-9 record during his run that included leading the SEC in points in 2004 and 2005 to having an offense that never found much footing this year.

He remains a West Coast guy, from his sporty Hawaiian shirts to his style of offense. He was -- is -- also a nice guy. Today, that should count for something, too.